News

27Oct

Zambia’s Compulsory HIV Testing

Zambian President Edgar Lungu has announced the legalisation of HIV testing and treatment in all public health institutions without the informed consent of patients. According to the president, the strategy, which has replaced voluntary counselling and testing, “prioritises the fight against HIV by ensuring that people know their status”. Activists argue that apart from being an infringement on human rights, mandatory testing will also promote stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.